Latest News
UN seeks $600 million to avert Afghanistan humanitarian crisis
The United Nations is convening an aid conference in Geneva on Monday in an effort to raise more than $600 million for Afghanistan, warning of a humanitarian crisis.
According to the UN, even before the Islamic Emirate’s seizure of Kabul last month, half the population – or 18 million people – was dependent on aid. That figure looks set to increase due to drought and shortages of cash and food, U.N. officials and aid groups warn.
An abrupt end to billions of dollars in foreign donations following the collapse of Afghanistan’s Western-backed government and the ensuing victory of the Islamic Emirate has heaped more pressure on U.N. programmes, Reuters reported.
However, U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says his organisation is struggling financially: “At the present moment the U.N. is not even able to pay its salaries to its own workers,” he told reporters on Friday.
The Geneva conference, due to begin on Monday afternoon, will be attended by top U.N. officials including Guterres, the head of the International Committee of the Red Cross Peter Maurer, as well as dozens of government representatives including German foreign minister Heiko Maas.
According to Reuters about a third of the $606 million being sought would be used by the U.N. World Food Programme which found that 93% of the 1,600 Afghans it surveyed in August and September were not consuming sufficient foods, mostly because they could not get access to cash to pay for it.
“It’s now a race against time and the snow to deliver life-saving assistance to the Afghan people who need it most,” said WFP deputy regional director Anthea Webb. “We are quite literally begging and borrowing to avoid food stocks running out.”
The World Health Organization, another U.N. agency that’s part of the appeal, is seeking to shore up hundreds of health facilities at risk of closure after donors backed out.
The Media Violations Commission has ordered Noor and Barya TV channels to stop broadcasting and to appear in court, state-run Bakhtar News Agency reported on Tuesday.
ّIt is said that the decision against the channels was taken for “not observing the principles of journalism.”
Former Jihadi leader Gulbuddin Hekmatyar has criticized the United States for patrolling Afghanistan’s airspace with drones.
Hekmatyar said in a speech Tuesday that any form of American presence in Afghanistan is unacceptable.
“Afghanistan’s airspace is under occupation. Expressing this issue is our religious responsibility. We have sacrificed the most for freedom. We do not accept any presence of America. We do not accept any kind of foreign rule,” he said.
Hekmatyar also stated that there is a possibility of American troops entering the country again.
“[Former] President Trump’s national security advisor says that their departure was a mistake and that they should return. This is not an ordinary issue. The possibility that they will make a mistake again and return to Afghanistan is very strong,” he said.
The Islamic Emirate has not commented so far on Hekmatyar’s remarks, but it has confirmed sightings of drones over Afghanistan.
“It is required that the respected officials of the caretaker government give explanations on this matter and respond to the concerns of the Afghan people in this matter, because important and great national issues are important for every Afghan citizen and if there is a problem, it will be a cause of concern for everyone,” said Fazl-ul-Hadi Wazin, a university lecturer.
Uzbekistan’s President Shavkat Mirziyoyev on Monday met with Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for talks on a number of issues including the Trans-Afghan Railway project.
The two leaders also discussed bilateral trade issues, strengthening of relations and regional matters, including the escalating situation in the Middle East.
In October 2023, Uzbekistan Railways JSC presented the Trans-Afghan Railway project to Qatar’s Ministry of Transport.
Subsequently, deliberations were held on Qatar’s involvement in the project’s execution.
In February 2021, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Pakistan signed a roadmap for the Termez-Mazar-i-Sharif-Kabul-Peshawar railway construction.
The envisioned transport corridor, estimated at approximately $5 billion, aims to connect Europe, Russia, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, and Southeast Asian nations, boasting a transit capacity of up to 20 million tons of cargo.
Tahawol: Abdul Kabir’s recent remarks discussed
Saar: Expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan discussed
Media Violation Commission bans two TV channels
Hekmatyar slams US for ‘occupying’ Afghanistan’s airspace
Uzbek and Qatari leaders discuss Trans-Afghan Railway project
ATN secures TV and digital rights to broadcast IPL 2024 in Afghanistan
Blinken meets with Saudi Crown Prince to discuss Gaza
Turkey moves against Meta over Threads-Instagram data sharing
Afghanistan and India play out goalless draw in FIFA World Cup Qualifiers
Dead body of Quran-burner found in Norway
Tahawol: Abdul Kabir’s recent remarks discussed
Saar: Expulsion of Afghan refugees from Pakistan discussed
Tahawol: Concerns over military escalation in region
Saar: Deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan discussed
Tahawol: IEA’s reaction to Iran’s attack on Israel discussed
-
Regional4 days agoIndian foreign ministry advises against travel to Iran, Israel
-
Latest News5 days agoAfghanistan withdrawal probe sparks anxiety within Biden administration: US’s McCaul
-
Latest News4 days agoLightning strikes in Helmand kill one, injure three
-
Latest News4 days agoTop former US general claims Daesh-Khorasan is ‘on the upswing’
-
Science & Technology4 days agoChina launch of relay satellite Queqiao-2 for lunar probe mission successful
-
World5 days agoVoters in many countries sceptical of democracy, poll shows
-
Business3 days agoAfghanistan reaches self-sufficiency in production of 133 items: MoIC
-
Health4 days agoMajority of Afghans with mental disorders are women: officials